A local Indigenous organisation will strengthen emergency preparedness and disaster response across the Echuca region after securing a $25,000 grant through the FRRR's SRC program.
Njernda Aboriginal Corporation was one of 29 Victorian organisations to receive funding in the latest round of grants, which delivered more than $410,000 to community projects across the state.
The funding will allow Njernda to engage a specialist emergency management consultant to strengthen systems, skills and resources using a culturally informed approach to emergency response and disaster preparedness.
FRRR head of granting Jill Karena said local communities were best placed to identify and respond to their own challenges.
“Every community is different, with its own priorities, strengths and circumstances, which is why locally led approaches are so important,” she said.
“We are seeing an increasing number of First Nations and non-Indigenous communities leading self-determined approaches to social resilience and disaster preparedness.”
Ms Karena said Njernda's project was an example of communities developing practical solutions that reflected local needs and experiences.
The grant was awarded through FRRR's Strengthening Rural Communities program, which supports projects that build resilience, strengthen social connections and improve community capacity in rural and regional Australia.
Across the country, FRRR awarded more than $1.1 million to 79 projects in the latest funding round.
Since being established in 2000, the organisation has delivered more than $213 million to more than 16,000 community projects nationwide.
Ms Karena said flexible funding programs were critical in helping communities respond to local priorities.
“By backing community-led ideas, we're helping places become more self-sufficient, resilient and ultimately better positioned to thrive,” she said.
